1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply switching system that can be automatically controlled by a remote sensor system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an apparatus for detecting a human body, an apparatus for remotely detecting a human body in a non-contact state by employing a pyroelectric infrared detector has been hitherto widely used as a customer sensor disposed at a shop for ringing a chime or playing music when a customer enters the shop, an automated lighting system for turning on a light when a person approaches and an automatic control system such as an intrusion alarm system for actuating an alarm. Namely, most of infrared human body detectors thus widely used have employed fixed control target equipment to be controlled by the detection of a human body.
The conventional infrared human body detector has, however, a disadvantage in that accurate automatic control cannot be conducted in accordance with a control target electric equipment. If the detector controls, for example, a lighting equipment as a control target electric equipment, the detector can detect an infrared radiation emitted from a human body and automatically turn on the lighting equipment. However, it turns on the lighting equipment upon detecting the movement of a human body even when a user does not want to turn it on because there exists luminance to some extent.
Furthermore, the infrared human body detector can automatically turn off the lighting equipment to thereby advantageously save power when a human body undetected sate continues. The detector, however, also inadvertently turns off the lighting equipment after a certain time when a user is motionless.
Thus, the prior art devices have limitations that limit their use and they are frequently expensive.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-stated circumstances. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a power supply switching system capable of detecting an infrared ray from a human body or other object emitting thermal energy to thereby automatically control supply of power to electric equipment at a distant position and capable of realizing more accurate power supply control in accordance with a target electric equipment so as to meet the users"" intention and demand.
According to the present invention, means for obtaining the above object are constituted as follows:
According to the invention, there is provided a power supply switching system having an electric equipment and a remote controller for on/off control of the electric equipment and for establishing communication between the electric equipment and the remote controller by near-infrared rays. The power supply system is characterized in that the remote controller has input switches for conducting the on/off controlling and an infrared detector for detecting an infrared ray from a human body and on-controlling of at least the electric equipment at an electric equipment side.
According to the invention, there is provided a power supply system provided with an electric equipment and a remote controller for on/off controlling the electric equipment and for establishing communication between the electric equipment and the remote controller by near-infrared rays. The power supply system is characterized in that the remote controller has input switches for conducting the on/off controlling and an infrared detector for detecting an infrared ray from a human body and for on controlling of at least the electric equipment at a remote controller side.
Furthermore, according to the invention, there is provided a power supply system consisting of a controller connected between an electric equipment actuated by a commercial power source and the commercial power source and controlling supply of power to the electric equipment and a remote controller transmitting a near-infrared basis control signal to the controller and controlling the supply of power conducted by the controller. The power supply system is characterized in that the remote controller is provided with input switches for outputting a control signal to forcedly switch a state of the controller between a power supply state and a power non-supply state and a human body detector for detecting an infrared ray from a human body and switching the state of the controller to the power supply state at one of the controller and the remote controller.
Therefore, the power supply system can not only automatically control supply of power to the electric equipment upon detecting a human body without the need to install special wiring but can also provide a forced supply of power in accordance with user""s intention and demand by operating the input switches provided at the remote controller. That is, by forcedly switching the state of the controller from/to a power supply state to/from a power non-supply state, it is possible not to actuate the electric equipment even if an infrared ray is detected from a human body when the user does not want to actuate the electric equipment and to continue actuating the electric equipment when the user desires this action.
If the human body detector is provided at the controller, then the user holds the remote controller and operates input switches from outside of the range in which the human body detector detects a human body to thereby switch the state of the controller to a power non-supply state. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the human body detector from starting detection immediately and the state of the controller from being switched to a power supply state. Further, if the human body detector is provided at the remote controller, the remote controller is disposed at an optimum position for the detection of a human body, thereby making it possible to surely detect a human body and to appropriately control the electric equipment.
For example, an air-conditioner such as a fan or a heater is connected to the electric equipment supplied with power by the power supply system, whereby it is possible to detect that a person waves one""s hand when it is hot or cold or a person tosses about when the person cannot sleep well and to actuate the air-conditioner. If a stereo and the like is connected as an electric equipment, it can be automatically actuated when a person enters a room or wakes up.
Further, if the controller or the remote controller is provided with a timer for making the controller maintain its power supply state for a predetermined time, a user sets the timer to thereby allow setting a time period for the power supply operation following the detection of a human body. That is, when a ventilation is connected as an electric equipment, the ventilation can be controlled to be automatically actuated and be operated according to the timer.
Such a setting that the controller is turned into a power supply state following the detection of a human body and maintains its power supply state without actuating the timer, is effective if an electric equipment such as a lighting equipment or an air conditioner which is always actuated when a user enters a room and is required to be continuously supplied with power thereafter is employed. That is, since the user does not need to look for an operation section for actuating such an electric equipment when entering the room, such a setting is particular effective in the environment such as a hotel in which the user is unfamiliar with the equipment.
Further, if either the controller or the remote controller is provided with a sensor mode switch for turning the controller into a power non-supply state for a predetermined time and then into a wait state allowing the state of the controller to be switched to a power supply state following the detection of a human body by the human body detector as an input switch, supply of power by the controller can be forcedly stopped by remote control and, at the same time, it is possible to suppress the state of the controller from being switched to a power supply state upon the detection of a human body by the human body detector for a predetermined time. Therefore, if supply of power to the electric equipment is temporarily stopped and the user leaves the spot, it is possible to prevent the human body detector from detecting the movement of the user to thereby start supplying power to the electric equipment again.
If either the controller or the remote controller is provided with a sensor mode switch for turning the controller into a power supply state only for a predetermined time and then temporarily turning it into a power non-supply state and a wait state allowing the state of the controller to be switched to a power supply state upon the detection of an infrared ray by the human body detector, it is possible not only to have the controller start supply of power by remote control but also to actuate the electric equipment only for the predetermined time.
Namely, if the electric equipment is a lighting equipment, the switch is used to switch the state of the controller into a wait state. Even if the user leaves the spot, the equipment is turned on only for a predetermined time, so that it is possible to prevent the illumination from instantly becoming dark or the light from being unnecessarily turned on for a long time. If other electric equipment is connected, it is possible to check the operation thereof for the predetermined time. Specifically, in case of a stereo, it is possible to check volume or channel setting for the predetermined time during an initial set up of conditions.
Moreover, if either the controller or the remote controller is provided with an ambient illumination detector and the remote controller is provided with an input switch for an ambient illumination monitor setting for controlling the controller so that the state of the controller is switched to a power supply state only when the human body detector detects a human body movement in the environment in that the ambient illumination is not more than a threshold illumination, then it is possible to set operation environment of the electric equipment connected thereto. That is, if an electric equipment such as a lighting equipment which operation is unnecessary in a bright environment is actuated, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption. Further, if an alarm buzzer is connected to the power supply system and disposed at the entrance, it is possible to give an alarm for an intruder at nighttime.
Likewise, if either the controller or the remote controller is provided with an ambient illumination detector and the remote controller is provided with an input switch for ambient illumination monitor setting for controlling the controller so that the state of the controller is switched to a power supply state only when the human body detector detects a human body movement in the environment in which illumination is not less than a threshold illumination, then it is possible to automatically actuate the electric equipment only when the user is, for example, not asleep. That is, it is possible to avoid such deficiency that a lighting equipment is turned on or a stereo is actuated following the detection of the user""s movement such as tossing about in sleep as a human body movement.
If the remote controller is provided with a power setting input switch for setting power level to be supplied by the controller, it is possible to supply reduced power to an electric equipment such as a fan, to set the fan to blow a breeze and to realize energy saving. In addition, if a lighting equipment is connected, it is possible to lower brightness of the light. Therefore, if the lighting equipment is used in a bedroom, it is possible to set the equipment not to emit bright light after it is detected that the user moves to go to the toilet and to avoid making the user feel uncomfortable.